Please don't think I'm trying to get the Hetchins thread started again (heavens no), but Nick Crook sent me this message and I thought the bit about the curly stays might be of interest to some folks so I'm reposting it with his permission:
****** Strange so much fuss about Hetchins, as Harry and family never built the frames themselves, leaving it to Jack Denny and others. Also they were quite
a factory, not hand-built in the Richard Sachs sense. Also according to John
Bell, a knowledgeable Yorkshireman who has bought a couple of frames from
me, Hetchins never designed the 'vibrant' or curly back-end. Jack Denny saw
it in Maurice Selbach's workshop and showed interest. Selbach said it did
not work and Denny could use it, which of course he did!
I think it was all down to visual impact at a time when racers were not
allowed to put names on frames - a curly was the best way to advertise a
Hetchins, just as a Diadrant fork advertised a Bates.
I only came by this nugget a week ago when
talking to John, who has lots of old bike lore. I sold him an unknown but
refurbed track frame from 1950s some months ago. After talking to friends
and comparison with old frames in lofts, he realised it was a Gillott and
he's well chuffed.
******
Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
Bob Hovey
Columbus GA